BREAKING!! Multiple Al-Shabaab Fighters Eliminated Following Recent Attack Months Ago That Killed Over UPDF 20 Soldiers

Somali National Armed Forces (SNAF), supported by international partners, carried out an early morning raid on Al-Shabaab positions in Awdheegle district, Lower Shabelle region, killing seven militants and injuring several others, the Ministry of Defence reported Tuesday.

The ministry said the operation specifically targeted militants who were carrying out acts of sabotage against local farming communities. Al-Shabaab extremists had diverted water into farmlands, destroying crops and harming the livelihoods of civilians.

“The terrorists had deliberately diverted water into farmlands in an attempt to destroy crops and cripple the livelihoods and commerce of the community,” the ministry stated.

Lower Shabelle, part of Somalia’s fertile southern belt, has been a long-standing battleground between government forces and Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-affiliated group waging an insurgency for over a decade.

Despite government territorial gains since 2022 in regions like Hiraan, Galgaduud, and Middle Shabelle, Al-Shabaab continues to launch attacks targeting civilians, security forces, and infrastructure.

The Somali government, led by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, has intensified military offensives in collaboration with international allies, including the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS), the United States, and Turkey, with the goal of dismantling Al-Shabaab’s operational capabilities.

Key tactics in these operations include air surveillance, intelligence sharing, and drone strikes, which have helped SNAF strike high-value targets while minimizing risks to civilians.

“The Somali National Armed Forces remain resolute in their duty to defend the Somali people, protect their livelihoods, and ensure the total defeat of terrorist groups so that peace and prosperity may prevail across the nation,” the Ministry emphasized.

The raid comes as security operations in southern Somalia have intensified ahead of a planned ATMIS troop drawdown. By December 2024, the Somali army is expected to assume full responsibility for the region’s security.

Al-Shabaab has increasingly targeted economic infrastructure such as farms, roads, and water systems to weaken stabilization efforts. The group funds its operations through extortion, illegal taxation, and smuggling. According to the UN, over 3.8 million Somalis remain displaced, with food insecurity worsened by conflict, floods, and climate shocks—conditions Al-Shabaab exploits to maintain influence in rural areas.